Tomahawk Leader

Gas tax and registration

Gas tax and registration

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 4:27 pm

by Old Scout

I just read this on the TV 12 news site.

A report to state lawmakers will recommend increasing the gas tax and raising vehicle registration and driver's license fees.The report to be delivered next week will include those options and others as a way to close the state's two billion dollar transportation funding gap.Governor Scott Walker has said improving the state's infrastructure is one of his priorities, but he is opposed to raising the gas tax.The report from the Transportation Finance and Policy Commission will recommend a 5-cent increase in the gas tax and tying registration fees to miles traveled.

Just what we need to help get the economy back on its feet. More taxes and fees (another name for a tax). Leave it to a bunch of bureaucrats to find a way to squeeze some more money out of peoples pockets.

Based on miles traveled, what a joke. Some one that has to travel as part of their job or has a long commute ends up getting screwed just because of their career choice or where they live. I don't see any bus systems or subways so they don't have much choice but to drive. People in Milwaukee, Madison etc, have public transportation and end up getting the majority of the highway projects while the rest of the state drives on bad roads and pays the bill.

Why don't they do like the Illinoisn's do and put some toll roads down by the border and collect from the flatlanders when they want to come here during the pesky tourist season. They come up and use our roads and all the other things we support with our taxes it is only fair that they help pay for them.

Re: Gas tax and registration

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:20 pm

by Kerry Tobin

I understand the "idea" of charging based on mileage. The people that use the roads the most get the most benefit from having. However, the problem with that is the state has no idea where those miles were driven. For example, if someone were to drive to Alaska, not only would most of the miles not be driven in Wisconsin, they wouldn't even be driven in the US! Why should that person pay more for Wisconsin's roads than someone that drives a little fewer miles but never leaves the state?

With the newer iPass type systems you don't even need to slow down for the tolls. Or even better, some of the newer systems have the pass in the license plates. Give everyone in Wisconsin a plate as part of their registration that covers them for the toll roads in Wisconsin and charge the out of staters!

Re: Gas tax and registration

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 9:32 pm

by Old Scout

Give everyone in Wisconsin a plate as part of their registration that covers them for the toll roads in Wisconsin and charge the out of staters!